the King of angels bids--
80 The Master Almighty, to make thee a compact,
The Lord of the faithful. No fear shouldst thou have,
Though foreign foes bring frightful war,
And horrors unheard of! To heaven now look,
To the Guardian of glory: Thou shalt gain there support,
85 The sign of victory!"
Soon was he ready
To obey the holy bidding, and unbound his heart,
And gazed on high, as the herald had bade him,
The princely Peace-weaver. With precious jewels adorned,
He saw the radiant rood over the roof of clouds,
90 Gorgeous with gold and gleaming gems.
The brilliant beam bore these letters
Shining with light: "Thou shalt with this sign
Overcome and conquer in thy crying need
The fearsome foe." Then faded the light,
95 And joining the herald, journeyed on high
Unto the clean-hearted company. The king was the blither,
And suffered in his soul less sorrow and anguish,
The valiant victor, through the vision fair.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

92. This is a translation of the famous Latin motto _in hoc signo
vinces_.

2. The Discovery of the Cross

Striving in strength and with steadfast heart,
830 He began to delve for the glorious tree
Under its covering of turf, till at twenty feet
Below the surface concealed he found
Shut out from sight, under the shelving cliff,
In the chasm of darkness --three crosses he found,
In their gloomy grave together he found them,--
835 Grimy all over, as in ancient days
The unrighteous race had wrapped them in earth,
The sinful Jews. Against the Son of God
They showed their hate as they should not have done
Had they not harkened to the behests of the devil.
840 Then blithe was his heart and blissful within him.
His soul was inspired by the sacred tree.
His heart was emboldened when he beheld that beacon
Holy and deep hidden. With his hands he seized
The radiant cross of heaven, and with his host he raised it
845 From its grave in the earth. The guests from afar
And princes and aethelings went all to the town.
In her sight they set the thr